The owner of Galatoire’s picks out a wine for special occasions and an ingenious device that allows you to drink it at your leisure, plus some favourite cookbooks
INGREDIENTS
EVERYDAY WINE
Coudoulet de Beaucastel, Côtes du Rhône, 2011 »
“For everyday drinking we generally go for a Côtes du Rhône from Beaucastel.” – Bill
SPECIAL WINE
Clos du Mont Olivet, Châteauneuf-du-Pape »
If he’s spending a bit more, Bill would go for a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. “You’re going to get a blending of different flavours and styles of grape that come into harmony to create a beautiful bottle of wine. Some of the upper-end Bordeaux and Burgundy-style wines from California cost hundreds of dollars and I contend that Châteauneuf-du-Pape can match those wines at far better price.”
EXTRA-SPECIAL WINE
Penfolds Grange 1991 »
“I have had three truly unique experiences with a bottle of wine that I’ll never forget. One was a bottle of Penfolds Grange from Australia. Another was a Harlan Estate California Cabernet. The third was a Château Margaux. That was a truly mind-blowing experience: it’s a wine I am never going to forget.
Creole tomatoes, Louisiana honey, local strawberries
“There are some really special things we produce here that you just don’t find in other places. Creole tomato is a special hybrid tomato that you only find for about two months a year – it’s just a phenomenal ingredient. The local Louisiana honey and strawberries are very special too.”
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning »
“I always have this on hand. You really can put it on anything – eggs, vegetables – and it makes it better. It’s an ultra creole seasoning.” – Karyn
OBJECTS
Wine Cruzer »
Hard cases with soft interiors designed for carrying precious bottles of wine, from two up to 24. “It’s such a perfect item – I can bring 6 favourite wines with me when I head out of town for a break.” – Bill
Coravin »
“This is a wonderful new device that allows you to tap into any bottle of wine without unsealing it. It has a hypodermic needle that penetrates the cork and when you pull it out the cork reseals itself so you can have a glass of wine without having to drink the whole bottle.”
Silver pitcher
“One of my favourite kitchen objects is a silver pitcher that belonged to Bill’s grandmother – nothing keeps water cold quite like it.” – Karyn
New Orleans toile print »
In Bill and Karyn’s house we see beautiful toile prints – on placemats, upholstery, wallpaper – depicting New Orleans scenes, such as the St Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter. They were designed by a company called Hazelnut which is co-owned by their friend, the actor Bryan Batt.
BOOKS
Lost Restaurants of New Orleans, Peggy Laborde, Tom Fitzmorris »
A chronicle of more than 100 gone-but-not-forgotten New Orleans restaurants, including Toney’s Spaghetti House, Houlihan’s and Bali Hai, complete with photographs, remembrances and recipes. “My favourite!” – Karyn
Food and Wine cookbooks »
Bill and Karyn have a large collection of Food and Wine cookbooks, including Chef Recipes Made Easy, Best of the Best (vols 13-16) and the magazine’s Annual Cookbook 2011-14.
Canyon Ranch Cooks, Barry Correia, Scott Uehlein »
Karyn recommends cookbooks from Canyon Ranch Resort in Tucson, Arizona, and Red Mountain Resort in Utah. “I use these after Mardi Gras.”
The Southern Living Cookbook »
Karyn has a collection of cookbooks from Southern Living magazine but this big tome from 1987 is a good place to start.
Red River Revel cookbook »
Red River Revel is a food, culture and arts festival in Shreveport, north Louisiana, that’s been going for 40 years. The Red River Revel cookbook Karyn owns is about 30 years old and hard to find now (you might pick one up on eBay or Etsy). She grew up in north Louisiana so the book is relevant to her childhood experience.
